“You are being so very kind and so protective of me,” she said with a shake of her head.
Polite. It would be the polite brush-off.
“And I simply cannot let this continue without you knowing the truth about me. It’s not fair. But I wanted to start by saying that I have never felt anything like what I feel for you in such a short amount of time.”
My heart hammered against my ribs as she said the words. They took my breath away. No one had ever returned my feelings before.
A smile spread across my features, excitement making my chest constrict. My heart swelled as I stared into her eyes, honest and vulnerable.
“But I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest. The truth is… I’m not just running from a past relationship. I’m running from something much bigger?—“
Before she could finish, a buzzing sound tore past us. My heart stopped. That had been a bullet. Dangerously close to striking one of us.
My protective instincts surged, and I reacted, wrapping my arms around Nattie and pushing her into the sand as I covered her with my body, shielding her from the threat.
I glanced over my shoulder to assess the threat. Who would be shooting at sweet Nattie? And why?
CHAPTER 12
NATASHA
Ihit the sand hard, the weight of Kyle’s body pressing on top of me as he shielded me from the unknown attacker. It wasn’t the first time I’d been shot at, so I easily recognized the sound of a bullet whizzing past me.
What shocked me was that my brother had found me this quickly. No wonder Nadia wanted me to move back to Belvaria. At least there, it would be easier to keep an eye on me. But also easier for my brother to try another attempt on my life.
If only we could prove he was the mastermind behind what was happening.
Frustration surged in me as we laid in the sand. Not only had I been driven from my home and into hiding, but I had been attempting to be honest with Kyle only for it to have been cut short by a bullet.
No others had followed behind it. I suspiciously eyed the rocks on the horizon, searching for the culprit. Did he or she still lurk there waiting for another opportunity.
Fear made me cling to Kyle, desperate to keep him close to me. I did not want to watch the first man I’d ever begun to fall for shot in front of me like I had my father.
He breathed hard, his eyes searching behind us, too. No one moved, and there was no sign of any trouble. But that didn’t mean anything.
Kyle flicked his gaze back to me, concern etched into his features. He gently stroked my hair. “Are you okay?”
I bobbed my head, my fingers still clawing at his shirt.
He puffed out a breath, his fingers still softly caressing my sand-filled hair. “Nattie, that was a bullet.”
“I know,” I answered, still managing to keep my American accent up.
I didn’t know why. I was about to tell him the truth, but something made me keep speaking in the way I had when he met me. I was avoiding the task, feeling so safe and comfortable in his arms despite the apparent danger.
I didn’t want this to be ripped away. I didn’t want to see the expression on his sweet face when I told him I wasn’t anyone close to the woman I had pretended to be, to the woman he’d been so interested in.
And it only made it worse that he didn’t push or ask me for details about it. He merely reacted to keep me safe and continued to protect me.
I swallowed hard, knowing I had to be honest.
His weight lifted as he tried to stand. “Stay down. I’m going to check–“
“NO!” I shouted, grabbing hold of him and pulling him closer to me.
His eyes widened a little. “Nattie, I have to check–“
I didn’t let him finish that statement. I yanked him closer and pressed my lips against his. I wanted to stay wrapped in this moment forever. And I wanted to remember him like this.
